Events From The Curtis Brother Childhood
by alex's wonderland
Summary: A Collection of OneShots. Basically just random stories from events that might have happened when the Curtis brothers were younger. Should be intresting/funny. Please R&R! I need reviews and ideas, PLEASE!
1. A New Baby

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.

**Darry: 4 years old**

**Soda: 1 week old**

Mrs. Curtis looked down from the dishes she was washing to meet the eyes of her crying four year old, Darrel.

The little boy was tugging at her skirt, whimpering and blubbering in such a fashion, that Mrs. Curtis couldn't even understand what he was saying to her.

She wiped her wet hands off on her apron before bending down, picking up the small child, and going to sit on a chair at the table. As soon as he was in her arms, little Darrel buried his head in his mother shoulder and cried and moaned.

She sat in one of the chairs by the kitchen table, and rocked her eldest son back and forth, patting his back, and saying soft things to him until his sniveling stopped.

At last, Mrs. Curtis pulled Darrel away from her shoulder and looked him in his ice blue eyes. She said, "Now, what, Darrel Shaynne Curtis Junior, is the matter?"

The small boy had tears filling his eyes again as he said, "I…I…don't like the…the baby!"

Mrs. Curtis sighed, because she had sensed that this was the issue. She started to say something, but was cut off when Darrel cried out, "No! You and Daddy, already hold him more than you ever hold me, and he's just been here two days, and I've been here four years!"

Darrel stared to cry again, so Mrs. Curtis held him close as she told him, "Oh, my sweet Darry boy. I know this is very hard for you to understand right now. But listen, you can never ever forget this: Daddy and I love you with all of our hearts. We love you and your new brother, Soda, just the same amount, and we'll never love either one of you more than the other. Darry, baby, you are my beautiful son! You're my first born child! Soda is just a baby, so he needs a lot of attention from Daddy and me right now, but that doesn't mean that we're going ignore you!"

Darry sniffed, wiped his nose with the back of his little hand, and said, "Well, that Miss Kayla down the street is always talking about how she wants a baby. Please, pretty please Mommy, give that Soda baby to her!"

Mrs. Curtis had to smile a bit before saying, "Oh, Darry. Miss Kayla wants to have a baby of her own, and she plans on having one, when she marries that nice Mr. Johnson in the fall next year. She doesn't want our Soda.

And we couldn't give him to her anyway, Darry! We love him, just like we love you, baby."

Darrel sniffed a bit more, and seemed to be pouting, and pondering what his mother had just told him. He then said, "He cries too much. It woke me up last night."

Mrs. Curtis nodded with a smile and said, "Yes, he woke us up too, honey. But he's a baby, and he can't take care of himself, like a big boy like you can."Darrel seemed brighten a bit at being called a big boy.

His mother continued, "And Darry, don't you want a little brother that you can play with. You always say that you get bored when Daddy and I can't play with you. In just a year or two, you'll be able to play with Soda just like he was one of your friends."

Darrel cocked his small head to the side, and gazed at his mother as he thought about this too. Before either of them could say anymore, Mr. Curtis walked in the kitchen, with a tiny baby Sodapop in his arms.

He strolled over to his wife, and bent down, affectionately kissing her on the head. He then carefully knelt down next to them, and held up the baby for them both to see.

"Say Darry, would you like to hold your little brother?" Darry looked up at his mother before looking back at his father and responding with a nod.

Mr. Curtis then carefully placed an infant Sodapop into Darrel's small arms. Mrs. Curtis shifted him around, and showed Darrel how to hold his arms, and how to properly support the tiny child's head.

Darrel stared down at his brown haired, brown eyed baby brother. Those small brown eyes seemed to dance with liveliness as they gazed up at Darrel.

After a few long moments like this, Darrel looked up at his parents and said with a shrug, "Oh, I don't know. I guess he ain't so bad when get used to him…look now, he's smiling."


	2. Walking

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.

**Darry: 6 years old**

**Soda: 2 years old**

**Ponyboy: 10 months old**

Mr. Curtis cracked open the oven and peeked in at the cooking chicken. He could see that it still wasn't done, and with a sigh he closed the oven door yet again.

"Daddy! Daddy! Ahhahha! He's doing it! He's doing it!" Mr. Curtis smiled at the hysterics of his middle son, Sodapop.

He walked to the living room, and leaned against the doorframe as he surveyed the scene before him.

Darrel and Sodapop were lying on their stomachs a few yards in front of their youngest brother, Ponyboy. The two older boys were making hand motions and soft noises of encouragement as Ponyboy struggled to his feet, by using the couch for support.

Once Ponyboy was standing straight up, Soda excitedly sat up to his knees and cried out, "Alright, Pony! Now, _WALK_ to us!" Mr. Curtis just shook his head and smiled. Sodapop was going to be one crazy boy, but he was just so funny and adorable, that he always made everyone laugh.

"Shhhhh!" Darry hissed at his second smallest brother. "Stop yelling, Soda, or you'll scare him back to the ground like last time!" Soda stopped yelling, but he didn't quit bouncing up and down on his knees, and grinning as wide as young face would allow.

Slowly, Pony took a step forward, then another, then another. He was walking, but still clinging on to the couch for support. But after only a few more steps, he was at the edge of the couch.If he was going to walk all the way to his brothers, he would have to walk the remaining distance without support from anything but his own two legs.

Mr. Curtis, Darrel, and Sodapop all held their breath as Ponyboy took a hesitant step forward. He stuck his slightly pudgy arms out on either side of him for balance.

Sodapop was almost squealing with excitement as Pony to another step, and then another, and another until he was unsteadily walking toward his big brothers. Everyone in the room held their breath as Ponyboy took the last few steps to forward to Darrel's outstretched arms.

At last he made it, and Darrel pulled his littlest brother to him and hugged him enthusiastically. Mr. Curtis smiled, knelt down next to Darrel and took a laughing Ponyboy from his arms while crying out, "Yes, good boy, Pony! You did it!"

Sodapop leapt up and began dancing and bouncing on the couch while singing, in no recognizable tune, "He did it! Oh yeah, Pony did walked! He did it! And _I_ teached him!"

Darry abruptly stopped clapping for Pony and said, "Hey wait a minute, Soda! I'm the one who taught Ponyboy to walk!" Sodapop looked at Darrel as if her were clearly crazy and incredulously cried out, "What? No, you wasn't! I showed him how, and all you did was laugh at me!"

"I laughed cause you were acting like a dummy! And…" Mr. Curtis was still smiling at Pony but cut Darrel off by saying, "Now boys, don't fight! It doesn't matter who taught Pony to walk. All that matters is that he can now, and he's been trying for a long time. How bout celebrate after dinner, by all of us going out for some ice crème?"

The disagreement between Darrel and Sodapop was forgotten with the mere mention ice crème. The both cried out in unison, "Yeah, ice crème!"

Mr. Curtis smiled knowingly and said, "Well, your mommy is out working in the garden. You two had better go tell her the big news!"

Darrel and Soda both bounced up and dashed for the front door, playfully pushing each other the whole way. Mr. Curtis stood up and held his youngest son out in front of him at arm's length. The small boy with green-grey eyes, and dark hair smiled and laughed at his father made a silly face at him.

Mr. Curtis then propped his little boy up on his shoulder and spun him around, savoring the sound of his child's laugh.


	3. Teasing and Pushing

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.

**Darry: 8 years old**

**Soda: 4 years old**

**Ponyboy: 2 years old **

"Soda Stop!" "Ponyboy, quit…don't!" CRASH!

Darrel quit pouring his milk into his cereal bowl when he heard Ponyboy's shout from their bedroom, and looked at his father.

Mr. Curtis looked up from his morning paper, and glanced over at his oldest son, who was looking at him with an exasperated expression on his face. "It's too early on a Saturday morning for this yelling." Mr. Curtis said to Darrel, who nodded his head in agreement.

"Go get your brothers, and see what Soda is tormenting Ponyboy with now, will you Darry. Then we'll watch some TV, and go toss some football in the backyard later." Darrel smiled at his dad and nodded as he made his way out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the bedroom which Sodapop and Ponyboy shared.

Mr. Curtis had a way with words with Darrel. All he had to do was mention some football, and bonding time, and Darrel was all in. There was no question that Mr. Curtis was Darrel's hero, and probably would be forever.

Darrel pushed open the small bedroom's door to see Soda sitting on the floor, clutching his foot and crying, and Pony was sitting on the top bunk of their bunk beds, crying. Darrel shook his head and yelled, "Mom! Dad! You'd better come here!"

He then walked over to Sodapop and asked, "What's wrong man? What happened?" By then, both Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were in the room gawking at the strange view of the room.

In-between sobs Sodapop pointed a shaky hand at Pony and said, "I was just joking around with him…and…he pushed me off the top bunk! And…now my foot…my foot really hurts!"

Mrs. Curtis dropped to her knees in front of Sodapop, and held him close while he cried it out. She said to him, "Shhhh. Baby, it's alright, you're gonna be fine. Now, show Mommy were it hurts. Right here? Oh, yes, I can see. You're gonna have quite a cut and bruise there, but you'll live. Oh, it's alright, sweetie, calm down. Shhhh."

As she went about calming Sodapop down, and finding out what was wrong with his foot, Mr. Curtis walked over to the bunk bed, and carefully picked up a sobbing Ponyboy. The youngest Curtis brother buried his head into his father's shoulder, as Darrel took a seat on the treasure toy chest in the middle of the room, and watched his parents work their magic.

Mr. Curtis said to Ponyboy, "Oh now Pony, why are you so upset. Are you hurt anywhere? No? Then what's the matter? What was Soda teasing you about?"

Ponyboy's voice was very shaky but he managed to say, "I didn't mean to hurt him!" before he broke down in tears again. Mr. Curtis just held the small boy and walked around the room, patting his back.

Finally Sodapop had stopped crying, and said, "I was poking him and telling him that he was gonna shorter than Darry and me forever…ya know, because he probably will be since he's the littlest! Then he got real mad, and I told him that I was just joking, but he just shoved me off the top bunk, and I hit my foot on that toy chest, and now I'll probably never walk again, so thanks a lot Pony!"

This only sent Pony into more hysterics, which earned Sodapop a disapproving glance from his father.

Finally Ponyboy calmed down enough for his parents to explain to him that Sodapop would indeed be able to walk again. Proof of this, would be that Soda had just gotten up from his spot on the floor, and _walked_ to the bottom bunk of the bed, where he had laid down.

Pony then seemed to understand, and Mr. Curtis gave both younger boys a talking-to about teasing others about height, and pushing others off of beds.

It only took a few minutes for Sodapop and Pony to make up, then go running off to the backyard together, where they were going to play pirates.

Mrs. Curtis walked behind Darrel at the kitchen table, and ruffled his hair. He turned and grinned good-naturedly at his mother, who proceeded to make herself a bowl of cereal to match Darrel's and Mr. Curtis's breakfast. When she sat down she looked up at Darrel and said, "You know Darry, those two little brothers of yours sure are crazy."

Darrel shrugged and said, "Yeah, but ya gotta love'em anyways…most of the time."

At this made both of his parents laugh and smile at their oldest son. There was no doubt in either of their minds that he was a fine big brother.


	4. Christmas Letters

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.

**Darrel: 9 years old **

**Soda: 5 years old**

**Ponyboy: 3 years old **

"Say Darry, what are you gonna ask Santa Clause for in your letter?"

Darrel shrugged saying, "I don't know yet. What I do know is that it's not fair that I have to write out my letter, and all you and Pony have to do is draw a picture of what you want."

Mrs. Curtis heard this comment from the living room where she sat watching TV with Mr. Curtis. She called into the kitchen, "Darry, you are the only one that can write. Its good practice for you anyway."

Darrel sent a dejected look to the living room, before turning back to his brother and asking, "Well, I'm not sure what I'm gonna ask for yet. What are you asking for Pony?"

Pony looked up at his oldest brother and held up his picture to show him. To Darrel all it looked like was a bunch of yellow and purple squiggly lines; possibly a picture of a person because there seemed to be something resembling a human head in the center of the paper.

Soda seemed to be a bit confused with the drawing too because he asked, "What is it Pony?" Pony looked at his older brothers as if there must be something wrong with their eyes if they couldn't clearly tell what his drawing was of. "It's a Mr. Machine toy!"

Sodapop and Darrel squinted at the picture for a few more moments before they both leaned back in their seats and said in unison, "Ooooh." Pony smiled and nodded as he put his paper down, and picked up a red crayon to finish up his drawing.

Darrel said, "Yep, that looks pretty good there, Ponyboy." Pony merely nodded in agreement, without even looking up from his work. Darrel then looked to his other brother and said, "Okay Soda, well what are you gonna ask for?" Soda lifted his paper for Darrel to see also.

This one made a bit more sense to him than Pony's had. It was a picture of a frog, or a turtle. Darrel looked up at Sodapop and said, "Umm…you want a turtle?" "No! It's an Odd Ogg! You know from that TV commercial song, '_Odd Ogg, Odd Ogg, Half Turtle and Half Frog!'_" Darrel nodded and said honestly, "Oh yeah! I remember that thing; the commercial was pretty funny. It looks pretty cool, that's a good idea for a gift, Soda."

Sodapop smiled at his brother apparent approval, and then went back to drawing the strange looking frog/turtle toy. Darrel propped his pencil in his mouth and started to think, "What do I want?" After a little while he came up with an idea and began to write.

After finishing his short letter to Santa, Darrel looked up at Sodapop to see that he was drawing another picture on the back of his paper. He asked, "Umm, Soda what are you doing? Mom and Dad said that we could only ask for one thing specifically, and the rest of our presents were coming from them, and friends and family. You can't ask for two things from Santa Clause!"

Sodapop innocently looked up and said, "Well, I can give Mommy and Daddy an idea of what I want them to get me. And besides, Pony is drawing another thing too." Darrel turned to see that Pony was actually drawing another picture on the back of his paper too. Darrel said, "Pony, what are you doing?" Pony just looked up at his biggest brother and said, "Oh, Santa won't mind." He just shook his head and decided that he needed to make a few changes to his letter.

**Dear Santa Clause, **

**For Christmas I want a new bike. And a new football, a basketball, a toy airplane, a toy army solider set, another blue toy truck since Soda broke my last one, a puppy, a guitar, a cowboy and pony play set, and a thousand dollars. Thanks!**

**Signed, **

**Darrel Shaynne Curtis Junior**

**P.S.**

**Santa, I'm sorry if I was only supposed to ask for one thing, but Soda and Pony asked for more, so I figured it was okay, since then get away with _everything_. Thanks!**

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Author's Note: Ok people, I ideas. Please review this story and tell me any ideas that you might have about what the next chapters should be about. I'm drawing a blank on what to write about next! I promise to update very soon with more, but the sooner I get some ideas, the sooner I'll be able to get around to that. Alright, now go review! Thanks!


	5. Halloween

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.

**Darrel: 9 years old**

**Soda: 5 years old**

**Ponyboy: 3 years old**

(ok, I realize that this is out of order, since Halloween comes before Christmas, and in the last chapter they were the same age that they are here, but whatever)

"Ponyboy, you'd better give me Darry back his cowboy had right now! Or else, I'm gonna bite your neck, and suck your blood, then turn you into a vampire like me!"

Darrel sat on the couch and laughed at Sodapop's threats toward their younger brother.

Pony stuffed the brown cowboy had behind his back and yelled at Sodapop, "Soda, I know your not really a vampire! It's just a costume like Daddy said! Jeeeze."

Soda swirled around and whipped his cape forward, so that it covered the lower half of his face. He hissed at Pony and said, "Well, Daddy must have been lying to you! I'm a real vampire, and a turn into a bat every Halloween night! You just wait and see! I like to eat ugly little pumpkins like you too!"

Pony let out an extremely girly squeal and threw himself into Darrel's lap for protection. This only made Darrel laugh all the more, as he pried his cowboy hat from Pony's grip, and placed it back on his head.

Sodapop really wasn't lying about Pony looking lousy. It was the real truth. He looked like a fat little orange ball in that silly pumpkin outfit. He even had a dumb little orange hat with a green stem thing sticking straight up on his head. Ponyboy whined, "But, I wanna wear your cowboy hat, Darry! This had is too big for me, and it looks weird!"

Darrel laughed, Sodapop muttered to him, "You got that right! You look like a real loony with it on, Ponyboy."

Ponyboy didn't really hear what his second oldest brother had said, but he knew he said something insulting, so he dashed for the kitchen to ask Mrs. Curtis if Sodapop really did turn into a bat on Halloween night.

Darrel affectionately pushed Sodapop and said, "Boy, you really crack me up. You had Pony scared to death for a second there." Sodapop shrugged and said, "Oh, well. He just looks so funny dressed that. I can't believe he actually wanted to be a pumpkin again this year!"

Darrel nodded in agreement, just as both boys heard their mother say, "No Pony, Soda will not suck your blood! He isn't a vampire, don't worry."

Then Mr. Curtis entered the living room, covered in rags which were draped all over his body and part of his face. He stuck his arms straight out in front of him and took stiff step toward the boys while moaning in a scary voice. Sodapop and Darrel both screamed, as then clung to each other as the frightening Mummy advanced for them.

Then Mr. Curtis playfully dived on the two boys, and soon there was a full-on wrestling match between Cowboy, Vampire and Mummy on the living room floor. When Ponyboy saw that he was missing out on something, he came flying into the room, and leapt on his father's shoulders.

Finally Mrs. Curtis got them to stop fighting as she announced, "Boys, stop it! Its time! Go get your candy bags!"

The boys suddenly realized that it was trick-or-treat time, so then jumped up, and dashed for their rooms to get their bags.

Mr. Curtis stood and hugged his wife affectionately. She said, "You're never going to outgrow this holiday are you, honey?" He smiled and shook his head. She nodded and said, "Alright, well you just be careful with those little guys of ours, okay?" He said, "I always am. You be careful when you hand out that candy. Be sure not to give away all the Hershey chocolate!"

She laughed, and just then the three boys came crashing back into the living room fully armed with candy bags and excited grins.

Mrs. Curtis said, "Alright boys, you know the drill. Load up on as much candy as you can get, but be very polite to the people handing it out. Stay together, and do not steal Ponyboy's candy like last year."

All three boys nodded, and Mr. Curtis said, "Let's go, guys!"

The brothers exploded out into the crisp October air, ready for the adventure that Halloween night always promises for young boys.

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**Authors Note: Seriously, I really need some ideas. Please Review and give me some other normal events of a childhood that I can write about. I don't care what they are. I'm actually so desperate for some ideas here that I'm actually asking my parents for some ideas. Its bad. Help me. Tell me what you think of these. Are then boreing, funny, intresting, good, bad?? I need feedback people. Thanks!**


	6. The 'Baby Building'

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.

**Darrel: 10 years old**

**Soda: 6 years old **

**Ponyboy: 4 years old **

Mr. Curtis was sitting on the top stair of his back porch. He was leaning against the rail banister and whittling a chunk of Cedar wood into something that would soon resemble an old fashion cowboy boot.

He was just enjoying the quite sounds of his backyard, and the sunset over the horizon when he heard the 'thrump-thrump-thrumping of his sons running threw the house and toward the back porch.

They all burst threw the backdoor, then ran to take a seat somewhere near their father.

Mr. Curtis laughed as he set down his knife and wood chunk and Pony plopped down in his lap. Darrel and Soda both took a seat next to their father and looked at Pony expectantly.

When the boys were silent for a moment, Mr. Curtis asked them, "Boys, what's going on?" Darrel cleared his throat and said, "Go on, ask him Pony."

Pony then said, "It's not fair that I have to ask him!"

Mr. Curtis said, "Boys, what is it?"

Sodapop was tired of waiting for his little brother to ask, so he did. "Dad, where to babies come from?"

Mr. Curtis literally felt his mouth drop open. He honestly didn't expect this question to come up for several more years. He yelled toward the house for his wife, but Darrel shook his head and said, "Dad, you know she went shopping! Mom's not at home."

"Oh, umm…well then…" Mr. Curtis stuttered. Pony then piped up, "Daddy, tell us where Babies come from, cause we couldn't figure it out, and we've been trying to all day!"

Mr. Curtis took a deep breath and decided that he was going to have to wing this.

He told his sons, "Well guys, umm…okay. Well, there is this building in Oklahoma City called the 'Baby Building.' And, the whole purpose of this 'Baby Building is to design babies for families that want kids. You see, when a Mommy and a Daddy want a baby they just go down to the 'Baby Building.' They have to get lots of pictures taken, and speech tests, and physical tests done so that the scientists can make the perfect baby for the couple. Once that is over, the Mommy and the Daddy go home, and wait nine months, since babies take a long time to make just right. Then they come back to the 'Baby Building' and pick up their new baby! And, that's where babies come from."

All three boys sat dumbstruck.

After a while, Darrel asked, "Okay, then why does Mommy's belly grow really big before she had Soda and Pony?" Mr. Curtis inwardly cursed himself for forgetting that little detail.

He was about to come up with an answer, when Sodapop added, "I'll bet Mommy gets so excited for the new baby, that all she can do is eat for the whole nine months. That's probably why her belly gets real fat."

Mr. Curtis silently thanked the Lord for Sodapop's answer. He said, "Soda is right guys! Good boy Sodapop; that is exactly why Mommy's belly gets so big."

Darrel still didn't look convinced. He then asked, "Well, I remember that before Pony came, Mommy let Soda and I feel her tummy kicking. She said that it was the baby inside of her kicking." Mr. Curtis again inwardly cursed himself for forgetting yet another important detail.

He said, "Umm, Darry-boy, I think your mother was just kidding with you. He stomach was probably just upset."

Darrel gave his father a funny look, before asking, "Well what about how mom kept saying that she wanted her third child to be a girl? If you guys ordered us from the 'Baby Building' then shouldn't you have been able to say if you wanted a boy or a girl?"

Soda cocked his head to the side and nodded his head saying, "Yeah Dad, I remember Mom saying that she wanted a girl too! And Pony is a boy…well; I think he's a boy…"

"I am a boy!" Pony shrieked at them. Mr. Curtis chuckled and said, "Well, you can order specifically a boy or a girl, but your mom wanted to leave all of our children up to chance. Like, she wanted God to decide whether you guys were boys or girls."

All three boys answered in unison, "Oooooh."

Then, a smiling Darrel asked, "Yeah okay Dad, now I understand. But say, how can we really tell if Pony is a boy? Cause, I mean look at him. He looked pretty _girly_ to me."

Soda screeched with laughter, and Pony leapt off of his father's lap. He dived at Darrel, which knocked him over onto his back. They two were wrestling around on the porch, and Soda was still engaged in his most recent fit of laughter.

Soda would randomly make remarks to egg the fight on like, "Haha! Yeah, Pony show Darry who the _girl_ of the family is!" or "Darry, are you gonna let a _girl_ hit you like that?"

Eventually the fight stopped when Pony got a splinter on his knee from the porch floor, and Mrs. Curtis arrived home soon after.

She entered the house to find her husband going at Ponyboy's knee with tweezers while he said, "Darry, hold him tighter he's still squirming!"

Darry and Soda were restraining Ponyboy to the living room floor, as their father crouched in front of Pony saying, "Pony, buddy! Its not gonna hurt, just sit still! We gotta get this splinter out."

Pony was yelling, "It will too hurt! Soda said that Darry cried when you took his splinter out last year, and Darry doesn't ever cry, so it must hurt!" The poor little boy was almost crying as his father desperately tried to pin down his leg.

Darry poked Pony in the tummy and said, "Look, Soda, he's really acting like a girl now!" Mr. Curtis gave his son a firm look and said, "Ponyboy is a boy!" Pony momentarily forgot that he was being held to the ground as he smirked at Darry and said, "See, I told you I'm not a girl!"

Mrs. Curtis had seen enough. She slammed down her groceries and asked in an exasperated voice, "What in the world is going on here?"

Soda let go of Pony and sat up. He met his mother's gaze and said, "Well Mom, it all started when Dad was telling us about the 'Baby Building'…"

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**Author's Note: Thank you SisterCat144 for this idea! Also, thanks to everyone else who reviewed and gave me ideas, it helped a lot! But, I'd really like more reviews, with even more ideas!! So, you should go review right now. I'll update soon! Thanks!**


	7. Soda's First Day

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from The Outsiders.

**Darrel: 10 years old**

**Soda: 6 years old **

**Ponyboy: 4 years old **

Mrs. Curtis called down the hallway from the kitchen, "Darry, Soda, common boys! We're running late already!"

Darrel, Sodapop, and Ponyboy came dashing out of their bedrooms and came crashing down the hallway. As they entered the living room, Mr. Curtis dipped down, and swung Sodapop onto his shoulder.

Sodapop giggled uncontrollably as he was placed on his father's shoulders, and spun around in a few quick circles. Mr. Curtis ended by dropping Sodapop to the couch, then motioning for Darry and Ponyboy to come help him tickle the already laughing boy.

Sodapop found himself at the mercy of his father, little brother, and big brother as they all danced their fingers over his extremely ticklish sides. In-between gasps of giggles and laughs he cried out, "No! Dad, Darry! Stop! Mom! Please Mom make them stop! Ahhhaha! Pony, quit! Stop, that tickles!"

Finally Mrs. Curtis came to her son's rescue and said, "Now, Now, leave him alone. Soda has got a very big day ahead of him, now don't you?"

Soda grinned and Darrel answered for him, "Yep! Soda, you're gonna have so much fun! I loved my first day of school…well, not the beginning, but by recess it was really fun!"

Pony wrapped his small arm around Soda's side and said, "Yeah, but I'm gonna be bored, since now both of you go to school!" Then Mr. Curtis pulled little Ponyboy into a headlock and said, "What does that mean, buddy? I'm gonna be here!"Ponyboy laughed and said, "Yeah! But you go back to work tomorrow too, and Mom doesn't know how to play battle warriors with me like you do!"

Mrs. Curtis just smiled, shook her head and said, "Well Pony, I'm sure you can teach me the ways of battle warriors. But we really do need to go boys; Darry, Soda, go grab your lunches I made for you on the counter, and go jump in the car. Time for school!"

The two boys ran off, and Mr. and Mrs. Curtis shared a smile. Within fifteen minutes the Curtis's red AMC Rambler pulled up to the school yard with Darry and Sodapop having an extreme staring contest in the backseat. Mrs. Curtis parked the car and said, "I hate to disrupt this intense competition, you two crazy boys, but it is time to go in now.

Sodapop and Darrel both unbuckled their seat belts, and then hopped out of the old red car. They dashed up the elementary school's large front steps, weaving in-between other children, with their small backpacks bouncing up and down on their backs.

Mrs. Curtis finally caught up to them at the front doors. She pulled Darrel close to her for a hug and a kiss on the head she said, "Now Darry, you have a great first day of fourth grade! You pick your brother up from his class after school, and walk down the street to where I picked you up all last year, okay? Alright, go on, sweetie; I'll see you later!"

Darry grinned at Soda as he then made his way into the school, and down the hallway, where he stopped occasionally to talk to friends. Then Mrs. Curtis took Sodapop's small hand and said, "Okay Soda lets go find your classroom, and get you settled in."

Darrel was standing outside his classroom, leaning against some lockers, and just catching up with his friends from last year when Keith Matthews ran up to him. Darrel knew Keith because he was only a couple years younger than him in school, and they both lived in the same neighborhood on the east side of town. "Oh, hey Two-Bit…err…Keith! What's going on man?"

The young boy had crazy smirk plastered to his face as usual as he said, "Darry, man you better come see this! You're little brother is going nuts in Miss. Keeler's room.

Darrel's mouth fell open a little bit as he said, "Oh my God, you're kidding me." Keith raised his eyebrows and said, "Nope. But you'd better come see this; before I left I thought he was gonna kick a hole in the wall."

Darrel and Keith took off running down the hallway, and Darrel asked, "Two-Bit…I mean, Keith..." Keith cut him off by saying, "Man, will you just call me Two-Bit? Basically everyone else from the neighborhood does already." Darrel nodded and said, "Okay Two-Bit, well what he Soda throwing a fit about?"

Two-Bit said, "Oh, his name is Sodapop, right? I just remembered that. Oh, well it's just like when the little kids don't want their mommy and daddy to leave them alone at school on the first day. But most kids just cry, and your kid brother is going crazy."

At this Darrel quickened his pace, and before long he and Two-Bit were rushing through the kindergartner and first grade hallway. Darrel could hear the commotion before he saw it.

He recognized his younger brother's voice screaming, "No! No! Please Mom, don't leave! I don't want to stay! No, please! Ahhhahaahaaa!"

As Darrel and Two-Bit neared the scene, they could see that a crowd had actually gathered around the classroom door, where Sodapop was clinging to the door-frame with his small arms, screaming his lungs out. Miss. Keeler and Mrs. Curtis both had a hold on his legs, and were desperately trying to pull him off of the door, and get him to enter the classroom.

When Sodapop looked up and saw Darrel he yelled, "Darry! Help me! Please don't let them make me stay! Darry, common! Help me!" Darrel clapped his hands over his face and muttered, "This is so embarrassing!"

Finally, after a few long minutes of tugging, Mrs. Curtis and Miss Keeler were able pry Sodapop off of the wall, and get him into the classroom. It took a long fifteen minute talk from Mrs. Curtis and Miss Keeler, but at last, Sodapop was convinced that he should stay at school, because he'd make new friends, get to play with Darrel at recess, and most importantly, get an extra chocolate brownie for snack time.

Soon, he willingly hugged Mrs. Curtis goodbye, and took a seat with the rest of his class.

When Mrs. Curtis got home, she joined her husband and Ponyboy on the couch. Mr. Curtis threw his arm around her and asked, "So, how'd it go?"

Mrs. Curtis exhaustedly shook her head and said, "Oh, this time was almost as bad as when Darry knocked over the classroom fish tank trying to follow me home on his first day of school! Boy, I didn't think that our Soda was gonna take it as hard as Darry did, but I sure was wrong!"

Mr. Curtis chuckled and said, "Well, think of it this way honey: two down, and one to go."

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Thank you so much for reviewing! I'm sorry that this ended rather quickly, but _it is_ finished.

Thanks again for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this story of mine!


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